Concealed antenna mounting



Aug. 12, 1941. s LUDWI 2,252,671

CONCEALED ANTENNA MOUNTING Filed March 15, 1941 ii 3 I M Patented Aug. 12, 1941 CONCEALED ANTENNA MOUNTING Sidney Ludwig, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to The Ward Products Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Application March 15, 1941, Serial No. 383,600

14 Claims.

This invention relates to an automobile radio antenna mounting and, more particularly, to a readily installed mounting which will permit a telescopic antenna to be substantially concealed within the body of an automobile when the antenna is fully telescoped.

Heretofore, telescopic antennas have generally been supported exteriorly of an automobile body. Such exposed mountings generally do not improve the appearance of an automobile and, in the now popular torpedo type of styling, have been rather difficult to install so that the antennas would be in a preferably vertical position unless mountings such as disclosed in my co pending application No. 314,253 were employed. Efforts have been made to mount antennas interiorly of the automobile bodies so that the telescopic antennas would be substantially concealed Within the automobiles when collapsed. Because the slope or curvature of the bodies vary for each model and make of automobile, considerable time and skill was required to secure the antennas within the cowls or fenders of the automobiles so that the antennas will extend out of the automobiles at the desired angle, normally vertical. Also the insulators or stanchions for supporting the antennas adjacent the car body walls had to be ground to shape in each installa tion to lit the outer surfaces of the car bodies. This was not only a time consuming operation but was also expensive because of the allowance which had to be made for the breakage of insulators being fitted.

It is an object of this invention to provide a concealed antenna mounting which will eliminate the necessity for fitting the insulators and which will permit the antenna to be quickly and readily installed in the cowl or lender of substantially any make or model of automobile so that it may be extended in a vertical or other desired direction.

Other and further objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the follow ing specification and drawing. In the drawing, which represents a preferred embodiment of this invention,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my antenna mount-- ing showing the mounting extending through a section of an automobile body wall.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section taken along the line li-3 of Fig, 2, but showing the mounting extending through a section of automobile body wall having a slope different from that shown in Fig. 1.

In the drawing, in which like reference char acters refer to like parts, it represents a section of car body wall drilled to receive my concealed antenna mounting. It is to be understood that the body wall may constitute any outer wall of an automobile, such as, for example, the upper cowl wall, fender, or any like portion of an automobile body with an area having a horizontal component. The wall I'll is drilled to provide an opening H through which the body of the antenna extends.

The antenna is preferably a rod and tube assembly generally referred to in the art as a telescopic antenna, The outer tube of the antenna 20 is slidably received in a fixed contact ring 22 which carries a plurality of contact shoes 24 which are in constant electrical engagement with the outer tube of the antenna 26 during all extended or retracted positions of the antenna. The fixed contact ring 22 is suitably supported in an insulating sleeve 26, which in turn is carried by a fixed ground sleeve 23.

The ground sleeve 28 is threaded adjacent its upper end to receive an ornamental nut 30 which in turn engages a washer 32 slidable on the threaded portion of the sleeve 28. The Washer 32 is provided with a semispherical outer bearing surface which is seated in the top 01": the hollow stanchion 34. The foot of the stanchion 34 is received in a soft rubber washer pad 36 which engages the outer surfaces of the body wall it and spans the opening I I. The hollow stanchion 34 is preferably made of molded Bakelite, or similar plastic material, as shown in Fig, 3 of the drawing, but may be a metal die casting or a similar electrical contacting member, since the antenna 2!! is insulated from the sleeve 28, nut 30, and washer 32 by means of the insulator sleeve 26. A look washer 38 may be interposed between the nut 39 and the washer 32 in order to lock the nut 39 when it is tightened upon the threaded portion of the fixed sleeve 28.

The ground sleeve 28, below its threaded portion, is provided with an antenna cable lead-in spur 4B welded or otherwise secured in electrical contact therewith. The ground sleeve 28 and insulator sleeve 26 are drilled concentrically with the spur 40 to permit a stud 42 to be threaded into the contact ring 22. An insulator 44 insulates the stud 42 from the ground sleeve 28 and spur 48. A standard lead-in cable, comprising an inner antenna lead wire 46, insulating rubber loom 48 and an outer metallic shielding cable 50, is secured by welding or otherwise fastening the lead-in wire 45, stud 42 and the shield 50 to the spur 40.

Below the antenna lead-in spur 40, a shielding tube 52 is force fitted or otherwise secured to the ground sleeve 28. The shielding tube 52 carries a fixed ring 54 on which rests a fastening sleeve 56, concentric with the ground sleeve 28. The upper end of the fastening sleeve 56 is cut off at an angle of approximately 30 degrees, this angle representing about the maximum slope of a car body wall on which the antenna may be mounted,

A slot or other opening 55 is cut adjacent this portion of the fastening sleeve 56 to permit the spur to extend therethrough. A pair of grounding teeth 5'. are provided adjacent the uppermost portion of the fastening sleeve 56 to engage the under surface of the wall Ii Opposite the teeth S'i, the fastening sleeve 40 is drilled to receive an outwardly extending bolt 58 and the sleeve 53 is cut thereabove to provide an inwardly turned tang 59 which engages the head of the bolt 58 to prevent it from turning. A slotted dog til is carried by the bolt 58, the longitudinal slot iii in the dog 69 permitting the dog to he slid axially with respect to the fastening sleeve 5'5. The dog 60 is provided with wings t2 turned inwardly with respect to the slotted portion of the dog. In my preferred construction the wings 62 do not engage the fastening sleeve 5'3, being spaced therefrom when in a vertical position by a spacer E53 carried by the bolt 58. The upper ends of the wings 62 terminate in grounding teeth 55 which engage the under surface of the wall ES. The dog 60 is secured on the bolt 53 by a lock washer 65 and nut 65.

From the foregoing it is apparent that radiofrequency signals picked up by the antenna 26 are conducted from the antenna to the automobile radio set by the contact shoes 24, contact ring 22, stud i2 and the lead-in wire 45. The ground sieeve 2S, shielding tube 52, and shielding cable 53 are all electrically connected to each other and to the fastening sleeve 56, which is grounded to the automobile body wall through the grounding teeth 57 and 6d. Thus, all conductors of radio-frequency currents between the exposed portions of the antenna 28 and the radio set are shielded within the body of the automobile from motor ignition noise, static charges, and other external interference.

To install my concealed antenna the opening ii is drilled at the desired location and the nut 58, lock washer semispherical washer 32, stanchion 3d and pad 36 are removed from the assembly. With the dog 68 pushed to its uppermost position and loosely held there by the nut 56, the assembly is inserted upwardly through the opening ii in the vertical or other direction in which it is desired to have the mounted antenna extend. Ihe grounding teeth 64 will engage the under surface of the wall iii prior to the teeth but because the dog 66 is loosely held, it will slide downwardly until at least one of the teeth 57 also engage the under surface of the wall ID. If both the teeth 5? do not engage simultaneously, the assembly may be twisted about its axis until both teeth F-l do engage. Because the wings 62 are spaced from the fastening sleeve 56, the dog 53 will cant or tilt if necessary because of the curvature of the wall if so that both teeth 64 will he usually maintained in engagement. Thus, there will normally be a four-point engagement with the under surface of the wall ii], since the curvature of the wall 18 is usually so slight with respect to the small area engaged that the curvature is substantially that of a cylindrical surface and not that of an irregular spheroid or similar irregular curved surface. If the wall i is so curved, however, that engagement of both teeth with the wall -3 is prevented by a wing 62 engaging the fastening sleeve 55, at least one tooth will be in engagement with the wall l0 and the dog 63 will be tilted so that the engaged tooth 8 1 will be located substantially above the axis of the bolt 53. The axis of the antenna will then pass through the triangle defined by the ill teeth 5'! and the engaged tooth 64. Thus, if the wall It] is so curved that four-point engagement cannot be obtained, at least a stable three-point engagement will be obtained.

With a stable engagement of the grounding teeth 5! and [i4 quickly and easily obtained by twisting the assembly about its axis, the assembly is withdrawn and the dog 66 is locked in the selected position by tightening the nut 66 and lock washer B5, The assembly is then reinserted through the opening ll until the grounding points again engage the undersurface of the wall it and the pad 36, stanchion 34, washer 32, lock washer 33, and nut 36 are dropped over the protruding threaded portion of the ground sleeve 28. By tightening the nut 30, the pad 36 will seat on the outer surface of the wall Ill and the stanchion 34 will seat on the pad 36, tilting about the hemispherical surface of the washer 32. After the stanchion 34 has found its most stable position about the washer 32, any gap between the foot of the stanchion 34 and the pad 36, due to the excessive curvature of the wall l9, will be taken up by the resilient pad 36 upon further tightening of the nut 39. Even though there will normally be no gap at the pad 38, it is advisable to tighten the nut 30 as securely as possible to insure that the grounding teeth 5'! and 64 bite into the undersurface of the wall It), thus establishing a good electrical contact and firm mechanical engagement between the fastening sleeve and the wall Hi. Because the pressure obtained by tightening the nut 30 is exerted along the axis of the antenna 20, which must necessarily pass through the area defined by the engaged grounding points 57 and 64, a firm and stable concealed mounting of the antenna 20 in the desired position is thus insured.

From the foregoing it is apparent that a concealed antenna mounting may be quickly and readily installed by one service man, first by setting the grounding teeth from within the automobile and then securing the nut Si from the outside of the automobile. When the antenna is then mounted, the lead-in cable is connected to the radio set and the installation is complete.

The foregoing is a description of the construction and installation of a preferred embodiment of this invention. It is apparent, however, that this embodiment may be modified either in whole or in part. This invention, therefore, is not limited to the specific embodiment disclosed, but only by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an antenna mounting permitting substantially the entire antenna to be concealed b neath an external wall of an automobile, a telescopic antenna, a fixed ground sleeve, means for insulating said ground sleeve from said antenna, a nut threaded on said ground sleeve, a washer engaged by said nut, said washer having a spheroidal outer surface, a hollow stanchion seated on said washer, a resilient pad engaged by said stanchion, said pad being adapted to engage the outer surface of the automobile wall and span the opening therein through which the antenna extends, a fastening sleeve connected with said ground sleeve, a pair of fixed grounding teeth on said fastening sleeve, a dog, a pair of grounding teeth on said dog, means for mounting said dog on said fastening sleeve in a slidable and cantable relationship, means for limiting the canting of said dog, and means for looking the relative position of said dog with respect to said sleeve.

2. In an antenna mounting of the class described, a telescopic antenna, a fixed ground sleeve, an adjustable securing means carried by said antenna sleeve, a hollow stanchion, means permitting limited universal movement of said stanchion about the axis of said antenna, a resilient pad engaged between said insulator and the outer surface of an automobile wall, a fastening member mechanically and electrically connected to said ground sleeve, a grounding point on said fastening member, a dog, a grounding point on said dog, and means for mounting and locking said dog on said fastening member in a longitudinally slidable relationship with respect to the axis of said antenna.

3. In an antenna mounting of the class described, an antenna, a fixed sleeve in which said antenna is slidably mounted, adjustable means carried by said sleeve engaging the outer surface of the automobile body wall through which said antenna extends, said means including a resilient portion engaging said automobile wall, and fastening means connected to said sleeve and engaging at a plurality of points the undersurface of the automobile body wall through which said antenna extends, said points of engagement being so located with respect to the axis of said antenna that the points of engagement define an area through which said axis passes.

4. An antenna as defined in claim 3 in which said adjustable means includes a rigid hollow stanchion, means connecting said stanchion to said sleeve to permit limited universal movement of said stanchion with respect to the axis of said antenna, and a resilient pad engaged between said stanchion and the automobile body wall through which said antenna extends.

5. In an antenna as defined in claim 3 in which said adjustable means includes a rigid stanchion, a resilient pad engaged between said stanchion and the automobile wall through which said antenna extends, and means connecting said stanchion to said sleeve comprising a nut threaded on said sleeve, and a washer concentric with said sleeve and having an outer surface spheroidal in shape, said Washer being seated on said insulator and permitting said insulator to have a limited universal movement about the axis of said antenna.

6. In an antenna as defined in claim 3 in which fastening means engaging the under surface of the automobile wall through which said antenna extends comprises a fastening member, a first grounding point on said fastening member, a dog movable relatively to said fastening member, a second grounding point on said dog, and means to lock the dog with respect to said fastening member.

'7. In an antenna as defined in claim 3 in which said fastening means engaging the under surface of the automobile wall through which said antenna extends comprises a fastening member, a plurality of fixed grounding teeth on said fastening member, a movable grounding tooth connected with said fastening member, and means for locking the movable grounding tooth with respect to said fixed grounding teeth.

8. In an antenna as defined in claim 3 in which said fastening means engaging the under surface of the automobile wall through which said antenna extends comprises a fastening member, a fixed grounding tooth on said fastening member, a dog carried by said fastening member, said dog being slidable and cantable with respect to said fastening member, a plurality of grounding teeth on said dog, and means for locking said dog with respect to said fastening member.

9. In an antenna as defined in claim 3 in which said fastening means engaging the under surface of the automobile wall through which said antenna extends comprises a fastening device, a plurality of grounding points on said fastening device, a dog carried by said fastening device, said dog being slidable and cantable with respect to said fastening device, a plurality of grounding points on said dog, and means for locking said dog with respect to said fastening member.

10. In an antenna as defined in claim 3 in which said fastening means engaging the under surface of the automobile wall through which said antenna extends comprises a fastening sleeve concentric with said antenna, the upper end of said sleeve adjacent the under surface of the automobile body wall being truncated at an angle to the axis of said antenna, a pair of fixed grounding teeth adjacent the uppermost portion of said sleeve, a bolt carried by said sleeve opposite said fixed grounding tooth, a slotted dog slidable and cantable on said bolt, a pair of grounding teeth on said dog, means for limiting the canting of said dog, and means for locking said dog relatively to said fixed sleeve.

11. In an antenna mounting of the class described, an antenna, a fixed sleeve in which said antenna is slidable, a stanchion, a resilient pad engaged between said stanchion and the upper surface of an automobile wall through which said antenna extends, and means connecting said stanchion and said sleeve and permitting limited universal movement of said stanchion about said antenna sleeve.

12. In an antenna mounting of the class described, an antenna, a hollow stanchion having a substantially truncated conical configuration, a resilient pad engaged between said stanchion and the outer surface of an automobile wall through which said antenna extends, means supporting said antenna in an axially slidable relationship with respect to said stanchion through which said antenna extends, a washer having a semi-spherical outer surface carried by said antenna supporting means, said stanchion having a semispherical seat on which said outer surface of said washer is received, thereby permitting limited universal movement of said stanchion about said antenna.

13. In an antenna mounting of the class described, an antenna, means supporting said antenna in an axially slidable relationship, a hollow stanchion through which said antenna extends, and a washer concentric with said antenna, said washer and said stanchion having curved mating surfaces to permit limited angular movement of said stanchion with respect to the axis of said antenna.

14. In an antenna mounting of the class described, an antenna, a fixed sleeve in which said antenna is slidable, a fastening element mechanically connected with but electrically insulated from said antenna, a plurality of grounding points engaging the under surface of the automobile wall through which said antenna extends, one of said grounding points being movable relatively to said fastening element, and means locking said movable grounding point with respect to said fastening element.

SIDNEY LUDWIG. 

